Abu Dhabi, UAE – Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and CEO of ADNOC, affirmed that targeting the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant constitutes a blatant act of terrorism against a vital, peaceful project. The plant was built according to the highest international safety standards to provide electricity to homes, hospitals, and factories across the UAE.
In a post on the X platform, Al Jaber stressed that this attack constitutes a blatant assault on the right of nations to develop and progress. He also considered it an attack on the right to secure clean energy for their people, asserting that Barakah will continue operating. Furthermore, he affirmed that the UAE will persist in its development journey, and that these events will only strengthen its resolve and determination.
This came after the UAE Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that its air defense systems intercepted three drones that had breached its airspace from the direction of the country’s western border on May 17, 2026.
The ministry explained in an official statement that the air defenses successfully shot down two of the drones. The third drone, however, collided with a power generator located outside the perimeter of the power station in the Al Dhafra region, without causing any significant structural damage.
The Ministry indicated that extensive investigations are currently underway to meticulously determine the source of these attacks and the technical entities supporting them, confirming that further details will be announced upon completion of the investigations.
The UAE Ministry of Defense also emphasized that the armed forces remain on full alert and at maximum readiness to confront any potential threats. It further affirmed that it will decisively and forcefully counter all desperate attempts to undermine the nation’s security, thereby ensuring the preservation of the state’s sovereignty, stability, and the protection of its achievements and supreme national interests.
